Ballmer, A’s Step Closer To New Sports Facilities

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Oakland A’s ownership picked up key support from the California legislature in their bids to get new sports facilities in terms of challenges to their plans to build facilities. It may be more difficult to stop the building process. Ballmer wants to move his National Basketball Association Clippers franchise from downtown Los Angeles to Inglewood, California at a site near the former home of the NBA Lakers and the National Hockey League Kings. Ballmer’s lease at his present home ends in 2024 and it does take a number of years from conception to the opening of a building as various governmental approvals are needed and a lease with a local community has to be executed. Ballmer has Inglewood Mayor James Butts’ support but Ballmer has run into opposition.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan doesn’t want Ballmer’s building approved because he owns the Lakers/Kings old home, the Forum, and uses it for concerts. Dolan is suing to keep Ballmer out of the neighborhood but his court action is against the city of Inglewood, not Ballmer, over 15 acres that Dolan thought would be used for a technology center, instead Ballmer wants the mostly vacant lot and his Clippers arena would be competition for Dolan for concerts. The Uplift Inglewood Coalition wants the land to be used for housing. Ballmer’s proposal is not limited to an arena. He wants a parking lot, a practice facility, team offices, shops, and an outdoor plaza with basketball courts. People living on the property near the proposed arena village are concerned they will be evicted from the area. Landlords have begun to raise rents in the anticipation of an NFL stadium and Ballmer’s arena opening in the neighborhood. Oakland A’s ownership has not picked out a spot for a stadium as of yet. It’s all about politics.

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